Room Mom Review

Why am I posting now you ask? Because the class party is in an hour and I am ready to go...but having to wait to go. So yay, blogging time!

This year was my first year as room mom (with 2 lovely other women, who I couldn't have done it without, honestly). And it has been great, and busy and crazy and, well, great.

Serena was proud of me, and if you're a mom, you know how great it feels for your child to smile proudly and say, "That's MY mom."

And so all the stress of last minute details, all the extra time and effort because some parents feel no need to chip in, OR let me know they aren't going to chip in was not in vain. I am so happy that I did this.

The beginning of the year was nuts with holiday party after holiday party. But sigh, the year has flown by, and I can happily say I didn't miss it. I didn't just watch from the sidelines. I got in the game and it has been great. I have made some really nice mom friends, Chloe has deepened her excitement to someday go to "Se-ya's school". And most of all I made memories with my daughter.

Maybe someday she'll say, "Remember that thanksgiving party with the 'I know an old lady who swallowed a pie' theme?" And I'll say, "Yes I do, it was fun wasn't it?"

Or "Remember that last day of school party where we played games, took silly pictures and ate treats?" and I'll say, "I know that was so fun!" And I'll mean it, because I was there and it was a blast.

And I probably won't remember the frantic getting ready for the party days, or the parents who didn't care. I'll remember my daughter laughing and smiling. I will remember her friends hugging me and saying hi to me on the playground and in the neighborhood. I'll remember the craziness of 21 2nd graders going nuts at a party. And I will smile, and probably cry, cause right now I am holding back the tears so that I can type unhindered.

Just like I remember my mom being at all our parties, with my little Cousin Matt in tow, bringing in her fabulous baked treats, I want my daughter to fondly remember my presence. I don't remember my mom ever being frazzled about it all, and I hope that's not what Serena remembers either. I hope she looks back, and sees me smiling and playing with her. And if that is how she remembers this experience, then I did at least one thing right.

See! I Knew it!

So remember This post?
Not my childs finest day.

But like I said she has a sweet heart and yesterday I got to be the almost crying proud mom because of it.

It was the last Brownie meeting of the year, and they were giving out awards, and patches and all that jazz. They got to the end and the leader was going to present the coleader with a gift, and she said:

"Serena can you come up and present this to Ms. Michelle. We picked Serena to do this, and let me tell you why. She wrote both Michelle and I very sweet thank you notes that really meant a lot to us. So Serena can you hand this to Ms. Michelle?"

I held back the tears, barely.

My girl can do the most absolute kind gestures, and that's the girl I know, and it was so amazing to see someone else seeing her, for her heart.

And stupid me forgot my camera, dangit.

Save the drama for your mama Monday

Dishes: I liken thee to Mt. Kilamajaro

Laundry: I liken thee to Mt Everest!

Yet I have conquered thee both! Victory is mine!


Anyone else wanna join in the overly dramatic prose??

Friendship Friday

You know how sometimes those simple little things make your day? Well today Chloe and I headed to Rachel's house for a playdate. The girls played well together for 4 hours while we chatted. It was such fun. If you're a mom you know the wonder of chit-chatting with another mom while the kids play safely and happily nearby. It's like a battery recharge.

Well, she also went out to her garden and picked, trimmed, and arranged some hydrangeas for me to take home. Cause feeding and entertaining Chloe and I wasn't enough. A simple gesture from a sweet friend, that totally made my day.

Morning by morning...

New blessings I see.

This morning I told Serena I was going to the Dr today, to see if they needed to take my tonsils out.






Here is our conversation:

Her: Will it hurt
Me: Yeah, but they'll give me medicine for it.
Her: Okay, take my hands.

I gave her my hands, and she says

"Let's pray."

That's right, my 8 year initiated praying for me. She prayed that the Dr wouldn't have to take out my tonsils, and that it wouldn't hurt me.

It was sweet as pie and a memory I will engrave deep in my brain, to never be forgotten.

Just...a...little...nudge

If you have not yet read, or inferred, I have 2 kids. An 8 year old girl and 3 year old girl. Both amazingly, completely different. My eldest is kind of timid when it comes to trying new things. And by timid I mean, I get to be the mean looking momma bird that is shoving the baby bird out of the nest, just so she can realize she has working wings that will make her soar.

Last spring we took her for swim lessons. And as I watched her I had a flashback to my grandma doing the doggie paddle, not getting a droplet of water on her make-up or hair. She wouldn't even get her face wet for the first lesson, and by the end she had much improved, but was still not really swimming. So when summer came and we were at her aunties pool, she still had floaties. And she would not jump in. She was too afraid. So my nephew who's 5 and may be mistaken as a fish by strangers made fun of her. I thought about chastising him, but then realized, she was being a wimp. A 7 year old should be able to jump in a pool wearing floaties, heck a 7 year old should be able to do it without them. So I risked looking like a horrendous mother and said "He's right, you're 7, kids will make fun of you. Better buck up and learn to do it." So my darling girl stalled, and stalled, and whined, and finally I said "Jump or I'll throw you in."

(Now back the judgy truck up for a second, and let me explain. She can jump in, she had done it before, and I knew all she needed was the reminder that it was a fun thing, not a scary thing to get over it and play like a kid.)

So finally she cried. And I let her cry, and went to go throw her in. And she jumped. Angrily she jumped. She hated me. But she loved jumping in, and by the end of the summer she was sans floaties swimming. I knew she could do it. She just needed to get past her fear and enjoy the fun.

So this year I decided the same had to be done with the bike, cause training wheels on an 8 year old isn't really cute. (Now I know, if I had simply trained her younger this may not have been an issue, but I tried for years to nurture the bravery into her to no avail. So now I am using the push her to try method). So we took off her training wheels, took her to an empty school parking lot and let her loose. She did fantastic, and I started thinking, "What was I so worried about?" Well, the next day school was back in session so the parking lot was hopping, so we rode her bike on the sidewalk, which has less room for swerving, and errors, and she fell (onto grass softly, might I add) and she got frustrated and cried. But I made her keep going, because I knew if she gave up, that she'd never get back on that bike. Well after 10 minutes of crying, I let her stop and come in, and after she had calmed down I said "You know I love you the same, whether you ride a bike well or you fall, it doesn't matter, I still love you." And she replied, in dramatic fashion "No you don't! You forced me to do it like a slave!" I managed to turn my head and stifle the giggles, no small feat I tell you.

Well, flash forward about 2 months and she rides her bike happily like a champ. She is such a smart cookie, and she over thinks things, and gets herself all worked up before she even tries, so sometimes she needs a little push. And if I let her give up, she will. If I make her push through all the "What-ifs?" she does great...well...most of the time...


Yesterday we got to Brian's softball game early so the kids and I played at the park to kill some time before cheering him on, to victory might I add. She got up to the monkey bars and hung from the first one, and then quickly got her feet back on the platform. Then she asked me to hold her while she did it. Seriously? a 2nd grader needing a mom to carry her across the monkey bars, nope!! She can do it, I have seen her on the monkey bars before, but she was once again letting fear control her actions. Our conversation went like this:
Me: "No, sweetie, you can do it. Just get on and move one hand at a time, you'll be fine."
Her:"No I can't"
Me:"What's the worst thing that will happen?"
Her:"I'll fall"
Me:"Okay, if you fall, you'll fall 2 feet and land on your feet. You jump off higher stuff than this. You'll be fine. Go"
Her:"No"
(Now I am seeing that same face that wouldn't jump off the side of the pool, or ride her bike and I know it's time to be firm)
Me: "I want you to try. Hang there and try to move one of your hands, then you can be done."
Then she proceed to hang for 1/2 second then scramble back to get her feet on the platform, probably 15 times.
Her:"I can't do it!"
me: "Yes you can and we are not leaving until you try"
Her:"No, I can't do it"
So we go back and forth like this for a few minutes, and men are walking by heading to softball probably thinking I am the meanest mother EVER. And to be honest I felt like it, but I know this girl of mine, and sometimes she needs a shove.

So next I pull a dirty trick, because I refuse to have this argument for any longer. I have her come over to me, I hold her by the legs, have her grab the bar in the middle, and I let go and walk away.

Now remember her feet are literally 2 feet from the ground. I didn't leave her hanging off a building, or something, and the ground is that cushy foamy stuff.

Well, she was so determined NOT to do it that she moves her hand and falls instantly to the ground, and didn't land on her feet.

Oops. I didn't want her to eat it, I just wanted her to try. I still stand by my method, but she was tired from all that silly defiant hanging and crying. If she had tried any of the original 15 times she pretended to try she would have been fine. Or if I had pulled that stunt in the beginning, she would have had the strength.

So I apologized that she fell, feeling pretty bad about it (she was no worse off, no bumps, no cuts, nothing). We had a long talk about it, we're all good. I just wish she would have at least made it across a few bars, because then the fear would have lost, and I'm afraid this time fear got the best of her.

So one day soon, I will be mean mom again, and make her try the monkey bars again. I see her watch children fly across them with this "wooooow" look on her face and I want her to feel that, so badly. And I am willing to seem mean to do it.

Milestone marker...set.

Yup, that's right, Chloe has hit another milestone.

I will be marking this in her baby book.

And unlike most baby book posts that make me pine for her to stop growing, this is one I am ready to dance about.


What could it be you ask?

What is all the excitement for?


NO MORE DIAPERS! My wallet just did a jig right along side me.

She had been having dry diapers, followed by some slightly wet diapers at night on and off for the last month or so. Well, Sunday night it was hot and when I went to check on her and her sister before I went to sleep, I found a naked bum staring at me. I thought about waking her up to put the diaper back on, but stopped. I wanted to try it. And her mattress is plastic coated, so if she did pee I'd just have some more laundry to do, no biggie.

Well, she woke up dry, so we did it again Monday, and Tuesday and woo hoo!! No accidents, no diapers, just pure excitement all around.

Which is kinda too bad, cause I wanted to try these:






HAHAHAHA JUST KIDDING!

A New Bible

My mom asked my what I wanted for my birthday a few weeks back, and I knew I needed a new Bible. The Bible I had been using was given to me, by my parents for my 17th birthday, and the years not been good to it's binding. That Bible had been source of comfort, of correction, of counsel, of courage. It had been there with me when I was on fire for God and was waiting for me again after my years of prodigal living. It has quite a few notes, underlines, highlights, and post-it notes in it. It opens easily, and I can quickly find just about anything I am searching for; well worn pages are easy to flip through.

Well, now I have a NEW Bible. It smells new. It's still attached to it's binding...firmly. The pages are crisp and semi stuck together still, and it's pages are free of all my scribbles. It's exciting, and can I say it, kind of sad too.

My old Bible opens up to read "This Bible Belongs to Kathleen Marie Percival, presented on the occasion of my 17th birthday by my mom and dad." I still had my maiden name, I had no idea who would be my husband, what my kids names would be or what they'd look like. I had no idea what twists and turns and times of being up to my ears in muck my life would take. It's been a good, bad, ugly, fantastic, grace and mercy filled amazing 12 years, and now it's like I am putting a piece of my life up on a shelf. Maybe I am being overly sentimental, but it's not just a book to me.

So now I open my Bible and it says this book belongs to Kathleen Marie Alvarado, date 6-12-10. What will this Bible see me through? What kind of things will God place on my heart as I read through His word again and again? What will I underline, and circle and scribble feverishly next to?

Thanks to the words on those pages, and the Author who wrote them, I have the hope of knowing that whatever life throws my way, I still have Him. I still have His word, and no matter how many Bibles I wear down in my lifetime, that will never change.

stupid throat gate 2010 update

Yeah dumb title I know, but a week of no sleep leaves a lack of creativity in it's wake.

So yesterday was the first day it didn't feel like nails running down my throat every time I THOUGHT of swallowing, so I should have been in a great mood. But I was sleepy and tired, and sleepy and tired, so I did what any good mom would do: avoided my kids to avoid snapping at them. I should have channeled the Holy Spirits power and been patient, but instead I copped out and avoided. They watched movies and did busy work, cause I'm a good mom.

Well, things went better today, I slept last night, my throat is scratchy but not painful, so things are going well. I was nice to my kids today, and didn't avoid them like the plague, something I don't think I'd ever brag about, but whatever.

And I have an appointment with the ENT next week, and I'll get his opinion on to slice or not to slice out a body part. I don't know whether to hope for a yes, it's your tonsils and taking them out would make you peachy keen. OR no it's not your tonsils, it's just dumb luck. Better luck in 2011.

We'll see, I'm not worried, I know my God loves my inpatient, self-centered whiny self to pieces, and He'll be there no matter what, I am just ansty-pantsy for an answer.

Life is Funny

DING DING DING ROUND 3 of Kat V. STREP THROAT

Yeah 3 times in 2 months is not a good sign. In fact, my doctor had that look of "What's really wrong?" on his face as I explained the same symptoms once again.

So he is doing some blood tests on my immune system, but he said that's mostly to be thorough, if I had a problem with my immune system I would have something worse than strep throat most likely.

I am also being referred to an ENT because more than likely I will need my tonsils out. Yeah like a kid. Only I am 5 days from my 29th birthday. Seriously? So maybe my school friends can all make me cards and my mommy can give me my fill of ice cream for a few days, then the doctor can give me a lollipop as he sends me on my way.

Tonsillectomy, honestly? I went my entire childhood without strep or tonsillitis. Now at almost 30, I have to get them taken out. Comedy at it's finest ladies and gentlemen. I am seriously chuckling as I picture my kids caring for me as I get my tonsils out. Talk about role reversal.

So anyway, back to laying down and slurping down painful spoonful of soup after painful spoonful of soup. I just had to share the comedy of errors which is my throat right now.

As the sand runs through the hour glass...

...So are my 20's slowly fading into memories.

Remember when you thought 30 was old? I do. I remember thinking, oh my they're going to school in thier 30's, why? Thier life is almost over anyway. Yeah, I was that dumb as a kid. You know the kind of "know-it-all" dumb kid, that was me.

Anywho, I am less than 2 weeks from 29, the end of the 20's, almost at the big 3-0, and I am so fine with it.

I started off my 20's in the midst of a gigantic detour from God's will from my life. A detour that left me battered, bruised, jaded and wounded at the ripe ol age of 20. And some of those wounds have just in the last year or two been transformed into scars. No more bleeding, no more pain, just reminders of bad mistakes and a Good God who forgives and heals.

I think I'm ok with seeing the tail end of my 20's because unlike the dumb young kid I was I see that life keeps growing and changing and evolving. Yeah, I'm not 20 any more, but THANK GOD FOR THAT. Cause I was a stupid 20. I hope to be a smarter 30, and someday a wise 40, and a wiser 50 and a even wiser 60, and a wise-ass 70 year old who doesn't take life or death too seriously. Heck if God sees fit maybe I'll be a wise 80 and 90 year old.

I stand at the edge of what I used to consider old age (HA!), and I look happily and hopefully ahead, knowing that:

Oh, the Places You'll Go!

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You're off to Great Places!
You're off and away!

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You're on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go.

You'll look up and down streets. Look 'em over with care.
About some you will say, "I don't choose to go there."
With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,
you're too smart to go down any not-so-good street.

And you may not find any
you'll want to go down.
In that case, of course,
you'll head straight out of town.

It's opener there
in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen
and frequently do
to people as brainy
and footsy as you.

And when things start to happen,
don't worry. Don't stew.
Just go right along.
You'll start happening too.

OH!
THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!

You'll be on your way up!
You'll be seeing great sights!
You'll join the high fliers
who soar to high heights.

You won't lag behind, because you'll have the speed.
You'll pass the whole gang and you'll soon take the lead.
Wherever you fly, you'll be the best of the best.
Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don' t
Because, sometimes, you won't.

I'm sorry to say so
but, sadly, it's true
and Hang-ups
can happen to you.

You can get all hung up
in a prickle-ly perch.
And your gang will fly on.
You'll be left in a Lurch.

You'll come down from the Lurch
with an unpleasant bump.
And the chances are, then,
that you'll be in a Slump.

And when you're in a Slump,
you're not in for much fun.
Un-slumping yourself
is not easily done.

You will come to a place where the streets are not marked.
Some windows are lighted. But mostly they're darked.
A place you could sprain both you elbow and chin!
Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in?
How much can you lose? How much can you win?

And IF you go in, should you turn left or right...
or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite?
Or go around back and sneak in from behind?
Simple it's not, I'm afraid you will find,
for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.

You can get so confused
that you'll start in to race
down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace
and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space,
headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.
The Waiting Place...

...for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or waiting around for a Yes or a No
or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a sting of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.

NO!
That's not for you!

Somehow you'll escape
all that waiting and staying.
You'll find the bright places
where Boom Bands are playing.

With banner flip-flapping,
once more you'll ride high!
Ready for anything under the sky.
Ready because you're that kind of a guy!

Oh, the places you'll go! There is fun to be done!
There are points to be scored. there are games to be won.
And the magical things you can do with that ball
will make you the winning-est winner of all.
Fame! You'll be famous as famous can be,
with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.

Except when they don't.
Because, sometimes, they won't.

I'm afraid that some times
you'll play lonely games too.
Games you can't win
'cause you'll play against you.

All Alone!
Whether you like it or not,
Alone will be something
you'll be quite a lot.

And when you're alone, there's a very good chance
you'll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.
There are some, down the road between hither and yon,
that can scare you so much you won't want to go on.

But on you will go
though the weather be foul
On you will go
though your enemies prowl
On you will go
though the Hakken-Kraks howl
Onward up many
a frightening creek,
though your arms may get sore
and your sneakers may leak.

On and on you will hike
and I know you'll hike far
and face up to your problems
whatever they are.

You'll get mixed up, of course,
as you already know.
You'll get mixed up
with many strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step.
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life's
a Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and 3 / 4 percent guaranteed.)

KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!

So...
be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea,
you're off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So...get on your way!

To preschool or not to preschool, that is the question.

Chloe is 3, technically about 3 1/2 now (she is not at the age where I would get blasted for forgetting the "half", so I can say 3 and get away with it.)

Her birthday is at the end of December, thus past the cut off date for Kindergarten, so she still have 2 full schools years before kindergarten. She'll almost be 6 when she starts in Sept 2012. I have the option of putting her in our schools preschool program starting this September. They offer it for 2 years, there is a 3 year old class and a 4 year old class. The program is fantastic, and I can tell that the children love it, because older kids still go back and say hi to "Ms. Danielle" all the time.

But we'll never know first hand because my child isn't going to preschool.

You didn't read that wrong, she isn't going to preschool.

My eldest daughter went to preschool out of necessity; my husband and I both Had to work to make ends meet, so she went to preschool. She loved it, she thrived in it, and I had no problems with it then. And in fact I still have no problem with preschool. My husband and I have just decided that we don't need it for Chloe.

She loves "school" she has been a part of the morning routine at Serena's school for 3 years now, she knows the pledge of allegiance,at least 3 other patriotic songs that they sing, and their school cheer by heart. She even gets down when the bell rings, like the older kids do. She thrives on interacting with Serena's friends, and does amazingly well at all class parties, and school functions we go to. Heck, she can even find the bathrooms, and tell you what days they sell ice cream after school.

She is already set to fit into the flow of school. She goes to Sunday school, often two services because of my teaching schedule, and both classes are geared at her age level. She follows directions, she sits when it's time to sit, listens when it's time to listen, plays when its time to play, works when it's time for crafts.

We have our moms group, and she is not only there early with me to set up, she soaks in the lesson time and stays after with me to clean up and she's smiling and happy the whole time.

This kid was made to thrive in a school environment. But...

She's probably my last baby, and quite honestly I just want her home with me. She will be in public school 13 out of her 18 years of childhood, then college, maybe even grad school (yes, I dream big for my kids). She only gets to be home with her mom for a few short years before our routines and schedules change. Soon she'll want to spend the night at friends houses, and be away from me more. And, from her older sister I already know that time is amazing too, but this short wisp of a moment, where our home and family are her world are short lived at best. So why should I be in a hurry to send her off?

We had this speaker at Moms about Kindergarten readiness, and she had some really interesting things to say. What stuck out in my mind the most was:

You can't speed up neurological development of their brain, it will be ready to handle school when it is ready, no sooner.

By October you can no longer tell who went to preschool and who didn't, because by then most if not all the kids "get" how to be at school and behave.

Reading early isn't as important as developmental milestones. She used an example, that if you have four 3rd graders standing in front of you, all reading, you couldn't tell who read when they were 2, 4 or 6.

Just because a child can read words doesn't mean they can comprehend them. Kindergarten and 1st grade are so focused on learning to read, so that kids can get to the point where they read to learn. Not JUST to do it, but so that they can do it for a purpose.

Now, before you decide that I am being a judgy-Mc Judgerton, I am not saying preschool is bad, by any means. Or that you don't love your kids as much as I do if you send your kid to school, I am just stating the reasons why WE chose to skip it.

Oh, and did I mention I am not going to do a preschool curriculum with her at home either? We read stories, we play games with shapes, and colors. She glues and cuts and colors all the live long day. In fact, having an older sister who does homework and reads has done more for her learning new skills and wanting to learn new skills than any workbook I could buy could do. So I guess, technically you could say we're using the "Imitate and try to copy what your older sister does for school" curriculum.